HONG KONG, Aug. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has achieved a landmark milestone at the prestigious 2026 R&D 100 Awards, widely regarded as the “Oscars of Innovation”. ASTRI secured six finalist technologies, making it the highest-represented organisation in Asia and the leading non-US organisation among the 2026 R&D finalists. Of these six finalist technologies, three were selected as R&D 100 Award winners, earning places among the world’s 100 most technologically significant innovations of the year.
Ir Dr Ted Suen, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI, said: “We are deeply honoured to be recognised by the R&D 100 Awards. Having six technologies shortlisted as finalists and seeing three of them selected as winners is a strong testament to ASTRI’s research excellence and innovation capabilities. These achievements reflect the dedication of our researchers and partners in developing technologies that address real-world industry and societal challenges while creating economic and social values.”
“ASTRI will continue to strengthen collaboration among government, industry, academia and the research ecosystem, accelerate the commercialisation of research outcomes, and contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub. We also support the national 15th Five-Year Plan by advancing strategic technologies in areas such as AI, microelectronics, new energy and green technologies, helping to foster new quality productive forces and contribute to the country’s high-quality development,” he added.
Six Technologies Recognised by the 2026 R&D 100 Awards
ASTRI’s six recognised technologies span advanced surveillance, sustainability, healthcare, advanced materials and next-generation manufacturing.
R&D100 Award Winners
Category | Technology |
Mechanical/Materials | DyeMate-SC Waterless dyeing is becoming increasingly important amid water scarcity and tightening regulations on microplastics. While supercritical CO₂ dyeing works for synthetic fibres, natural fibres remain incompatible with the process. DyeMate-SC overcomes this barrier, enabling supercritical CO₂ dyeing of natural fibres with performance comparable to conventional water dyeing while reducing resource consumption and environmental impact. |
Mechanical/Materials | EcoFlux: EcoCarbon-infused Natural Graphite Anode Co-applicant: Graphex Innovation and Technology Limited EcoFlux Anode redefines spherical natural graphite through hard carbon infilling and a fast-ion coating developed using an eco-friendly aqueous process. This innovation delivers less than 5% anode swelling, charging capability in under 20 minutes, enhanced reversible capacity and nearly double the cycle life, offering a cost-effective, high-performance solution for long-life and high-energy battery applications. |
Process/Prototyping: | CarbonTrust Co-applicant: Yau Lee Group CarbonTrust addresses key challenges through purpose-built technical solutions that combine blockchain immutability, AI Anomaly Detection and Cross-registry Intelligence in a unified platform. The platform integrates three mutually reinforcing innovations into a single subscription-accessible service, making trusted, automated carbon verification commercially viable for the first time at urban scale. |
R&D100 Award Finalists
Category | Technology |
Electrical – Safety and Security | Multispectral Imaging for Advanced Surveillance Operations The Omniguard multispectral imaging system delivers superior haze penetration, exceptional contrast and outstanding signal clarity. By harnessing short-wave infrared (SWIR) technology operating at wavelengths of 900-1700nm, the system cuts through atmospheric scattering far more effectively than visible-light cameras, enabling reliable long-range detection even in foggy or smoky conditions. |
Mechanical/Materials | Biocide-Free Bacteria-Repellent Nanofiber Breathing System Filters Co-applicant: Well Lead Medical Co., Ltd. The bacteria-repellent nanofiber filter provides enhanced protection by controlling bioburden in breathing circuits. Its non-biocidal zwitterionic polymer hydration layer repels over 95% of bacteria without chemical leaching or superbug development. Robust physical filtration achieves over 99.999% bacterial and viral filtration and over 98.5% particle efficiency, consistently outperforming conventional electrostatic filters, whose effectiveness decline over time. |
Process/Prototyping | 100% Closed-loop Post-consumer Recycled Plastic Sheets for Cargo Industry Co-applicant: Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) The 100% closed-loop recycled plastic sheets are made from post-consumer polyethylene cargo sheet waste. Through an innovative recycling process, advanced formulation and a three-layer film structure, the recycled materials achieve the high melt strength required for large-sheet film blowing without the use of virgin resin, while meeting cargo operational requirements and promoting waste reduction and circular sustainability. |
Organised by internationally renowned publication R&D World, the R&D 100 Awards honour the world’s 100 most-technologically significant innovations from around the globe each year. Entries are evaluated by an independent panel of industry experts, making the awards among the most respected and competitive recognitions in global research and development. ASTRI’s success highlights both the institute’s research excellence and Hong Kong’s growing influence in the international innovation landscape.
About ASTRI
Founded in 2000 by the HKSAR Government, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) is the city’s largest government-funded R&D centre. Committed to transforming high-impact research into practical innovations, ASTRI drives market-driven, interdisciplinary advancements across sectors, including Smart City, FinTech, Digital Health and Life Sciences, New Industrialisation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) and Advanced Electronics, New Energy and Energy Storage, and Green and ESG Technologies. Following its merger with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, ASTRI has further strengthened its capabilities, with over 1,500 patents and 2,200 successful cases of technology transfer. Recognised with numerous international awards, ASTRI continues to nurture top I&T talent and foster collaborations among the I&T ecosystem, contributing to Hong Kong’s high-value economic development. For more information, please visit: https://www.astri.org
